Melissa Adams tried out six times for the San Diego Chargers cheerleading squad before becoming an official Charger Girl. Compared to what else she overcame in her life, that was nothing.
Adams lost 85 percent of her hearing when she was 5�years old and wears a hearing aid in her left ear. It doesn't seem to have slowed her down. She owns a web development business with her husband and is in her second season cheering for the Chargers.
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Not being able to hear the music while on the field isn't without its problems, but Adams has a system in place to ensure she's not out of rhythm with the other dancers.
"Before every group routine we do in the end zone I have one girl, depending on what routine it is, give me a tap on the side with her pom," she told Fox5 San Diego. "On my own time, I will go over the music and make sure I know exactly what speed that song is and know the dance so well in my head that once I get that cue from the girl, I know it completely from start to finish. If the music were to turn off it wouldn't matter for me because I would just keep going."
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Melissa grew up on the East Coast and attended James Madison University before moving to San Diego in 2005 to start a marketing and web development company. Recently, she shared her story with the city's Fox affiliate:
She hopes the success she's had while managing her disability will be an inspiration to youngsters dealing with similar issues.
"I know growing up, people would say, 'Oh you're not going to be able to do that,'" Melissa said. �"I would just be like, 'What are you talking about? Yes I can.'"
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